On March 15, 1972, The Godfather hit movie screens. In the four decades since, it has become acknowledged as one of the greatest movies of all time. TIME has compiled the most interesting stories, anecdotes and tidbits from the film's production

Lots of Bare Butt Cheeks

As serious as things were during the shoot as well as in the story itself, the cast of The Godfather found plenty of time for practical jokes. Initially, the other actors were reportedly awestruck by Marlon Brando, but once filming commenced, they began to relax. In a sign of budding friendship with the legendary actor, James Caan and Robert Duvall began dropping their pants and mooning Brando at odd times during filming. But Brando upstaged them all by dropping trou while cameras were being set up for the wedding photo scene, mooning nearly 500 extras on the set. For this act, Caan and Duvall presented Brando with a belt that read “Mighty Moon King.”